Fighting
by Mastah'o'awesome
Summary: Merlin is deathly ill, Arthur is in danger, and Camelot may fall in the next few days without merlin's protection. Just a normal week for the prince and his servant. NO SLAsH! Full summary inside. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Fighting**

**Summary: Merlin has become gravely ill, and there is only one explanation:magic. Without his annoying, idiotic servant, Arthur finds that life just isn't the same. While Merlin is fighting for his life, Arthur must fight the forces of darkness that are at work in Camelot. But, fighting off evil sorceress's without his own sorcerer proves to be more difficult than expected. Can Arthur defeat his enemies? Can Merlin cling to life long enough to save Arthur?**

**Rating: T, for some violence and the occasional swears. Better safe than sorry, eh?**

**Disclaimer: I own my ideas. Thats about it. Sadly, I don't own Merlin. If I did, I'd be the happiest person on EARTH! But i don't. So...yeah.**

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><p>"What is wrong with you today <em>Mer<em>lin?" Arthur asked impatiently, addressing his servant.

"What?" Merlin replied, his voice tired and horse. Arthur held up a muddy jacket.

"Does this look **clean** to you?"

"No," Merlin mumbled, shaking his head. "Not really."

Arthur threw the jacket to Merlin who just barely caught it and went behind the changing-screen, pulling off his dirty shirt. "I told you to clean it this morning. I have an important dinner to attend tonight, and must look presentable. I can't look like someone who doesn't care about how they look. Like you." Arthur waited for an annoying and witty comment to be shot back at him. None such thing came. Arthur stopped in the middle of taking off his grimy shirt. "Merlin?" Arthur stepped out from behind the screen to check if Merlin was still there. His servant had a habit of leaving his duties unannounced.

Merlin stood by Arthur's bed, gripping the bed post so hard his knuckles were white. All color had drained from his face and he looked like he might collapse any second.

Arthur rolled his eyes. "For god sakes, Merlin. You look like you might-" As if on cue, Merlin fell to the ground, fast asleep."-faint."

Arthur made a mental note to tell Gaius to prepare Merlin a sleeping draft. More and more often he found himself with a sleeping servant. He knelt over Merlin and gently slapped his face. Merlin let out a girly-moan, but didn't wake. 'Odd...' Arthur thought. 'Usually, that would have woken him.'

"Merlin, you are definitely the worst servant I've ever had." Arthur said loudly, slapping Merlin harder. "I'm going to have to start counting the times you fall asleep while working." A tiny smirk flashed across Arthur's face as he thought of the many, many, MANY times Merlin fell asleep while sitting down, waiting for something, or even riding on horseback. Merlin really was and idiot sometime-

Arthur's smile vanished as he saw something familiar staining Merlin's shirt. Something wet, sticky, and red. And the stain was swelling. Fast.

"Guards!" Arthur called out, hoping someone was nearby. He draped Merlin's arm over his shoulder and began dragging him to the door. Gwaine stood on the doorway, directly in Arthur's way.

"What do you need, Princess? Heard you calling for guards-"

"MOVE!" Arthur shouted with such intensity that Gwaine actually shut up and did as he was asked. Gwaine noticed the unconscious Merlin and began to ask "What-?" But then he noticed the growing spot on Merlin's shirt.

Without even asking what had happened, Gwaine took Merlin's other arm and supported his other side, helping Arthur drag Merlin to Gaius' chambers.

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><p><strong>AN: FINALLY! I've written something that I'm not completely embarrased of. It's about time ;) Please review, and post any ideas u guys have for plot twists. Currently, I know very little about where this story will go. I just finished this chapter today, so this is as far as I've gotten with the plot. Hope you guys like my first non-drabble fic!**

**Stay awesome! Writingrelease ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: Fighting**

**Summary: Merlin has become gravely ill, and there is only one explanation:magic. Without his annoying, idiotic servant, Arthur finds that life just isn't the same. While Merlin is fighting for his life, Arthur must fight the forces of darkness that are at work in Camelot. But, fighting off evil sorceress's without his own sorcerer proves to be more difficult than expected. Can Arthur defeat his enemies? Can Merlin cling to life long enough to save Arthur?**

**Rating: T, for some violence and the occasional swears. Better safe than sorry, eh?**

**Disclaimer: I own my ideas. Thats about it. Sadly, I don't own Merlin. If I did, I'd be the happiest person on EARTH! But I don't. So...yeah.**

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><p>Gaius liked to hum. He never did so in front of others, but when he was alone, he hummed constantly. Today was one of the days when he actually did have time to be alone, and therefore hum. He did so happily, ambling around his chambers and creating remedies for those in the castle.<p>

"Gaius!" The old man's humming stopped instantly as he heard a voice call out. He turned to see Arthur and Gwaine sweeping everything off of Gaius' worktable

"What is the meaning of-" Gauis cut himself off when he saw the person they were placing on the table. "Merlin!" He exclaimed, immediately rushing to Merlin's side. His breathing was labored and his shirt was heavily saturated with blood. "What happened?" Gaius demanded. Gwaine gave Arthur a 'well?' look. Arthur just stared at Merlin, dumb-struck.

"I don't know. He was fine this morning, and then he just..." Arthur couldn't voice the words racing around in his mind. Gauis removed Merlin's shirt to reveal a long, bloody gash running along his chest.

"When did THAT happen?" Gwaine said incredulously. Merlin gritted his teeth in his sleep, letting out a small moan. Gauis looked at the two knights with both eyebrows raised.

"I was going to ask you the same question."

Arthur was speechless, staring at all the blood coming from his frien- I mean servant.

"What happened?" Gwaine asked, watching Merlin shake.

"I- I don't know. But the wound appears to be infected." Gauis replied. "Arthur, could you grab me some bandages? And Gwaine, could you hand me the calendula oil and honey?" Gwaine quickly grabbed the herbs and handed them to Gauis. Arthur just stood there. Gauis and Gwaine looked at him.

"ARTHUR!" Gwaine barked. Arthur tore his eyes from Merlin and looked at his knight. "Bandages!"

Arthur snapped out of his mysterious trance and grabbed the strips of cloth from the table behind him. Gauis took them gratefully and wrapped them around Merlin's wound. "Thank you. You two may leave now."

Gwaine shook his head stubbornly. "I'm not leaving Merlin," Gauis was about to protest, but thought against it. Instead, he turned to Arthur.

"Sire, could you fetch Gwen for me?"

Again, Arthur didn't respond. Gwaine grabbed an empty bowl from a table and chucked it at the prince. Arthur snapped to attention when it bounced off his head. "GWEN!" Gwaine shouted and pointed to the door. "GO!" Arthur nodded dazedly, exiting the physicians' chambers, leaving behind two worried men and one sick Merlin.

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><p><strong>AN: OH NO! MERLIN IS INJURED, AND NO ONE KNOWS HOW IT HAPPENED! AHHHH! Oh wait. I know :) But I'm not telling you people! That would spoil the fun. Read on to find out what is wrong with Arthur's lovable manservant! LUVS ALL MY READERS/REVIEWERS!**

**Stay awesome! Writingrelease**

**P.S.- This was inspired by a dare by LunaShadowWolf13. Not EXCATLEY what you asked for, but I hope you still like :) BYE!(for real now)**


	3. Chapter 3

The morning was cold and damp. A fresh layer of dew covered the ground, making the whole forest glitter in the dawn light. A figure stood in a clearing, a hood drawn over her face. She was waiting for someone, tapping her foot impatiently.

'No one should be this late' she thought. 'Even if it is-'

"Mordred!" She smiled as the small boy she had become so close to strode out from the trees. The women rushed towards him and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. He hugged her back, then looked up at her.

"I've missed you too, Morgana." He whispered.

"Have you done it?"

Mordred drew out a straw doll from his dark green cloak and held it out to Morgana.

It was crude, barely passable as a doll at all. It only had one feature other than the bits of straw poking Mordred's fingers: a blue necker-chief. A horrible gash with oozing black goop ran along the dolls chest, dripping onto the forest floor. Morgana smiled.

"Good. Soon, Merlin will be dead, and Camelot will be following a broken Prince."

Mordred hesitated in smiling back. He was going to kill Emrys. The only sorcerer who could bring magic back to Camelot.

'But Emrys betrayed me' he thought, silencing his conscience. 'I am loyal to only Morgana.'

He smiled at Morgana. "Soon, Morgana, Camelot will be ours." Mordred hugged Morgana one last time, and disappeared into the dawn.

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry I dropped off the face of the earth for a while. I've just been having issues prying my brother off of the computer so I can update. I don't want to be mean, but I need to use the computer too!**

**Anyway, enough of my personal problems. I'm sorry this is so short. I just had to update Fighting, or I swear, I would explode from fanfiction withdrawal. Do you people realize I haven't updated anything(other than my profile) for, like, a week? I am gunna get some serious hate for this :( Hope my readers haven't dropped off the face of the earth like me! :P**

**Mastah**

**P.S.- Sorry if I made u all search high and low for my stories 'cause I changed my username. FORGIVE ME!**


	4. Chapter 4

"Gaius?" The court physician glanced upward for a second to see Arthur standing awkwardly in the doorway, shuffling his feet.

"Come in, sire. Come in." Arthur took a few hesitant steps inside, making his way over to the bed in the center of the room. Gaius tore his eyes away from Arthur and returned his focus to Merlin, who was sleeping restlessly. He tossed and turned, moaning as his fever grew hotter and his bandages grew redder.

"What's wrong with him?" Arthur said rather gruffly. Two ancient shoulders rose in a shrug.

"Well, we know WHAT is wrong with him. I don't know how it happened, though." Gaius looked at his ward sullenly. "Merlin usually figured that out..."

Arthur cocked an eyebrow."Hmm? Merlin what?"

"Nothing sire." Merlin let out a small moan. Gaius dipped a fresh cloth in icy water and placed it on Merlin's burning forehead. Unintelligible dazed murmurings rose from his lips. Gaius lowered his head to try and hear his ward better, but to no avail.

"I...I don't understand how this could happen. He was... I SWEAR he was alright that morning. It's not like he was DOING anything that could cause and injury like that. I mean, all he was doing was-"

"Sire, you had nothing to do with Merlin's injury." Gaius assured.

"Well...do you have a theory? On what...or who could have done this?" Arthur's eyes lit up slightly, hoping, wishing, PRAYING for Gaius to have an answer. The physician contemplated whether sharing his idea with the King of Camelot was wise. Sighing, he decided keeping his thoughts to himself could have more...unwanted consequences. He left Merlin's side for a moment to retrieve a book from one of his shelves. He carried it back to Arthur, opened the book to a dog eared page, and pointed to a passage.

"I believe that what has happened to Merlin is the work of sorcery."

Arthur rolled his eyes, sitting down in the seat vacated by Gaius. "Why is it ALWAYS sorcery?"

Gaius chose to ignore him, and continued on. "I have read of a rare incantation that could possibly be at work here; the enchantment of a voodoo doll. This enchanted doll is charmed by using a lock of the targets hair, and binding then together. Then, whatever the doll endures physically must be duplicated by the target. In this particular case, I believe the target was Merlin. Someone must have created such a doll and physically cut it, thus doing the same to Merlin."

Arthur stared helplessly at his servant. Merlin's face was ghost-white, and his face hollow and full of shadows. Small beads of sweat dripped down his face, and each breath appeared more laborious than the last. "How do I stop it?" Arthur asked bluntly.

Gaius flipped a few pages in his book. "In order to stop the spell, one must burn the doll and a lock of hair from the target with..." Gaius paused. "...Dragon fire."

Arthur stood suddenly and approached Gaius's desk, He began rummaging through the man's things until he finally found what he wanted; a pair of shears. Gaius began shaking his head. "Sire, you aren't actually thinking of-"

"I have to Gaius." Arthur interrupted. "Merlin would- no, HAS risked his life for me on multiple occasions. If he were in my position, he would do whatever necessary to save me. And that is what I must do." He snipped a lock of ebony hair from Merlin's head and made his way to the door, returning the shears to their spot.

"But Sire!" Gaius called out. "How will you fond dragon's fire?"

"Um...I'lllll think of something," Arthur said, not looking back as he left the physician's chambers.

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><p><strong>AN: I AM ALIVE! Hey guys, I'm sorry I haven't updated in, literally, months. School has been a pain in the ass, with hours of homework every night AFTER two and a half hours of play practice (which is EXHAUSTING) and stupid friend drama that goes on CONSTANTLY.**

**ANYWAY, thank you to all the people who have stayed with this story, bombarding me with reviews asking why I haven't updated in forever. I will try my best to update soon, but I don't know. My life is PRETTY hectic right now. Hopefully I'll update at least one more time over break. But, maybe not. I'm experimenting with other shows to write about, so I might be taking a little break from Merlin. Once I finish watching season 4(which I haven't, FYI. If any of the details are different from what they should be, sorry. Just...assume that this takes place after episode 6 and before episode 7. Like a lost episode!) I'll get back into the swing of things. I hope :)**

**Stay awesome, my awesome readers and fans who have stayed loyal to my story :) 3 Mastah**


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